Zack Wheeler flirts with a no-hitter against the Marlins, Matt Harvey gets another no decision and Sandy Alderson lies again. For all this and more please join host Phil Naessens and Blogging Mets Mark Berman as they tackle all this and much more on today’s Phil Naessens Show.

"The tall one advances toward me, grinning, all denim jacket and
faded jeans.
He wants it, I can tell.
This knowledge makes me content.
It fills me with calm. Equilibrium.
As he approaches, a sense of certainty
descends that this upcoming scenario is somehow, meant to be.
There is a
mutual acceptance.
A tacit agreement that extreme violence is about to take
place, that punches will be thrown, that blood will be spilled, and that one of
us is going to be hurt, possibly quite badly.
Maybe very badly,
indeed."
_____________________________________________________________

The
Bully Brothers.

Forty-something football hooligans determined to go
straight.
A young Internet writer charts their progress to becoming good
citizens amidst the absolute economic chaos that is the UK. Food shortages. Zero
hour contracts. Dangerous packs of homeless roaming the streets. Cancer victims
forced to work for dole. Panicked offspring poisoning elderly parents to avoid
spiralling care costs.

Twenty quid for the flicks, three fifty a pint,
and eight quid a packet of fags.
You don’t know whether to wear a parka to
go shopping or slap on sun block.

The writer takes their confession. Old
war stories. Terrace myths and fables. Sins of Ultra Violence two decades old
carried out on train stations, motorway services, and the High Streets of towns
like Hounslow, Rotherham and Peterborough.

Will they succeed in going
straight? Can they resist the carnage planned for the last match of the season
against Coventry?
Or will they drag the young writer down with them.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

VIOLENT DISORDER, my first solo book for a year, and the sequel to Ultra Violence, is out on August 1st for e-book buyers and three weeks later for paperback customers.Have a look at Dark Dawn Creation's Cover.

You don’t know whether to wear a parka to go shopping or slap on sun block.

The writer takes their confession but stays at arm’s length. Old football war stories - myths and fables from the terraces of Meadow Lane. Sins of Ultra Violence two decades old carried out in service stations, back alleys and the high streets of dead towns like Hounslow, Rotherham, Swindon and Peterborough.

Will they succeed in going straight? Can they resist the carnage planned for the last match of the season against Coventry’s top boys?

Or will they fail, dragging the writer into the bloody battle with them…

Violent Disorder is the much anticipated sequel to Green Wizard’s best-selling Ultra Violence.

______________________________________________________________

There will be an extract next week, and the following week, at least four interviews with me on various blogs, where I discuss the writing of the book.

Ryan Braun got suspended and Alex Rodriquez awaits a similar fate and Derek Jeter returns with a bang. Please join host Phil Naessens and Sb Nation MLB Managing Editor Steven Goldman discuss these topics plus all the trades, the New York Yankees and take a look at the close pennant races on todays Phil Naessens Show.

579 Pope Benedict I died. He was a Roman and the son of Boniface, and was
called Bonosus by the Greeks. Unfortunately, there is little information about
the first pope to take the name Benedict. 657 St Vitalian began his reign as
Catholic Pope succeeding Eugene I. He was successful in improving relations
with England, where the Anglo-Saxon and British clergies were divided regarding
various ecclesiastical customs. At the Synod of Whitby, King Oswy of
Northumberland accepted Roman practices regarding the keeping of Easter and the
shape of the tonsure. Together with King Ecgberht of Kent, he sent the priest
Wighard to Rome, to be consecrated in the Papal City after the death of
Archbishop Deusdedit of Canterbury in 664, but Wighard died in Rome of the
plague. 1178 Frederick I (Barbarossa), Holy Roman Emperor, was crowned King of
Burgundy. 1629 An earthquake in Naples, Italy, killed about 10,000 people.

Monday, July 29, 2013

July
29 238 The Praetorian Guard stormed the palace and captured Pupienus and
Balbinus. They were dragged through the streets of Rome and executed. On the
same day Gordian III, age 13, was proclaimed emperor.

904 Sack of Thessalonica:
Saracen raiders under Leo of Tripoli sacked Thessalonica, the Byzantine
Empire's second-largest city, after a short siege, and plundered it for a week.

1030 Ladejarl-Fairhair succession wars: Battle of Stiklestad – King Olaf II,
the patron saint of Norway, fought and died trying to regain his Norwegian
throne from the Danes.

1565 The widowed Mary, Queen of Scots, married Henry
Stuart, Lord Darnley, Duke of Albany, at Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh,
Scotland. 1567 James VI was crowned King of Scotland at Stirling.

754
Pope Stephen II made Pippin the Short King of France. He was the first King of
the Franks of the Carolingian dynasty. 148 Crusaders attacked Damascus.1540 Thomas Cromwell, King Henry VIII's chief minister, was
executed for treason.

Novellist wins the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes

Novellist slammed his rivals in the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored By Betfair) at Ascot in a course record time.

Trained in Germany (like last year's heroine, Danedream), Andreas Wohler's colt again advertised the strength of his country's top equine talent with an imperious display in the prestigious Group One over a mile and a half.
Tracking the early pace set by Ektihaam and Universal, Johnny Murtagh - who had only come in for the ride after commitments ruled Ryan Moore and William Buick out - was, himself, being stalked by the hot-favourite Cirrus Des Aigles.
Universal took over from Ektihaam with Trading Leather in hot pursuit but Novellist breezed past the pair of them as though he had just entered the race.
Olivier Peslier attempted to give chase but Cirrus Des Aigles lacked his customary zip and it was left to Trading Leather and Hillstar to give vain chase with the pair finishing five lengths adrift.
Murtagh said: "He's a very high-class horse with a good engine. I loved the way when I asked him to stretch he wanted to get on with it. He stretched well - pulling him up was probably the hardest part.
"I can't thank the owner and trainer enough. He feels like a very good horse. He'd be up there with my other King George winners."
Wohler, securing his first Group One triumph in Britain, "We knew he'd improved since his last race but as much as that is unbelievable."
"We'd just won a Listed race and a bumper race over here before this. This race is so high-rated. I used to come here as a kid and watch it as a kid in the school holidays and now I am here as a trainer. To win it is unbelievable."
Trainer Corine Barande-Barbe said of the fourth-placed Cirrus Des Aigles: "Christophe (Soumillon) said that he still had a bit of condition and he asked to breathe three times. He needs competition as he had a very big stop earlier in the year. He will improve again and we will now go on to York (for the Juddmonte International)."
Trading Leather's trainer Jim Bolger said: "That was very satisfactory. He could have done with a bit more pace in the early part of the race. Everything went right until the last furlong. He'll go to York for the Juddmonte and then the Irish Champion Stakes."

1054 Siward, Earl of Northumbria invaded Scotland to support Malcolm
Canmore against Macbeth of Scotland, who usurped the Scottish throne from
Malcolm's father, King Duncan. Macbeth was defeated at Dunsinane.

1170: Thomas
Becket and King Henry II temporarily reconciled. Becket's six-year self-imposed
exile from England was resolved when he met with Henry and King Louis VII of
France at a conference in Freteval and settled on an uneasy truce. Becket made
preparations to return to his See in Canterbury.

1214 King John lost Normandy
and his other French possessions after being defeated by Philip II of France in
the Battle of Bouvines.

1360 Danish King Waldemar IV destroyed Visby Gotland
(Sweden's largest island, which is also the largest island in the Baltic Sea).

"The beer is chilled and refreshing, and though you haven't had more than ten pints in the past year, you find yourself halfway through the pint as if it was iced water on a hot day."

The first thing you notice when reading this book is the writing. I say it is brilliant for lack of a better word. You are taken into the realities of life in the most unpredictable way. You can't help jotting down phrases because they are so darn clever that you wish you wrote them yourself.

The story is filled with familiar feelings and uneasy emotions that are articulated in a way you have not read before. You can't remove your eyes from the page because you know if you do you will miss something dynamic and on point.

Mark Barry has a way of taking a moment in time and making it into a something special. There are not words to describe the talent that this writer has. I have been in awe of him ever since I read Carla. He goes down with the greats and it’s just a matter of time before he is recognized for his unique ability to tell a story that makes you glued to the page and yearning for more.

I loved this book for it's distinctive writing style and entertaining storyline. I cannot wait for the second book to be released. There are not that many writers that possess this kind of innate ability.

796 Offa, king of Mercia died.Many
historians regard Offa as the most powerful Anglo-Saxon king before Alfred the Great.

811 Battle of Pliska: Byzantine Emperor
Nicephorus I was killed and his heir Stauracius was seriously wounded. 920 Rout
of an alliance of Christian troops from Navarre and Léon against the Muslims at
Pamplona.

1267 Inquisition formed
in Rome under Pope Clement IV.1309 Henry VII was recognized King of the
Romans by Pope Clement V.

1469 Wars of the Roses: the Battle of Edgecote Moor
pitted the forces of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick against those of
Edward IV of England took place.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Does your 6 - 8 year old e-reader like fantasy? They will fall in love with ELPanda Paws. (9 five stars and 2 four stars reviews.) Now you can download the Legend of ELPand Paws for half price. Go to the link below and type in the coupon code PL64C.

The Legend of ELPanda Paws is an enjoyable story for children of all ages. The author weaves a compelling tale of good overcoming evil that holds the reader's interest throughout the adventure. The reader is quickly immersed into the plight of a little panda cub that is captured by hunters to sell to a zoo. Following a shipwreck, crates of animals are washed ashore, but only the panda cub survives. Unfortunately the panda cub is captured by the Ughlies who torture the frightened animal, knowing its pain and suffering will wreak havoc in ELVanland with the return of the dreaded Negative Disease. Will the ELVanites rescue the panda cub or will the Ughlies destroy their archenemy? No spoilers here - you will have to read the book to find out. I liked this story and look forward to reading more of Ms. Arvanitis' work.

"Just finished the book, took me about 3 days to read it, did not want to put it down after starting it. A really fascinating read about a group of men who follow their football team. An insight into the ups and downs of being a football hooligan and it also tells the true story that not all football hooligans are stupid and from the gutters. An intriguing read which you will feel part of the more you read. A very strong recommend from me and I look forward already to the new book coming out next year"

I read this book as I follow Notts County
and was interested on what Mark Berry had to say about this side of my football
club.
This book had me in stitches in parts it is very well written and
really reminded me of alot of places that are not there anymore. I think alot
more men will relate to the author than will care to admit as his discription of
the modern work place and the actions of his female boss are both very real. I
look forward to reading more from the author keep up the good work.

I'll be honest, don't read that many books
but right from the first page found it difficult to put down. Is a bit quirky
with plenty of black humour and local referencing is bang on. Obviously a very
talented writer. Worth a punt imo.

I am an American reading about football
known to us as soccer; but there is so much more to this story. The relationship
aspect which is described from the main character to his wife, his son, his
boss, and his peers are well developed and easy to visualize.

In true
form Author Mark Barry produced a novel that told a unique story with many hard
truths in it. I could visualize the sights, smell the smells, cringed at the
bullying that occurred, the urine references and the blood bath violence that
occurred but this is what the story was about.

Adding in the failing
marriage, the circumstance at the job, the pub, the fear, the attitudes - all of
it was so real, so tangible.

When the description of the fighting occurs
and even the scant hint of it I remember the snippets on the television that
shows the crowds in an uproar and think this just isn't a book - it is based off
of real events that have occurred. Passion for a sport, not unheard of here in
America either.

I found the use of language at times to be a bit
difficult to understand because of the cliche's and insults that those across
the pond use in contrast to what we over here use but it is not offsetting to
the story at all.

This book, as with his others, draws you in and takes
you into events you have never experienced before. Get it. Read it. You won't be
disappointed.

Ace, didn't
stop smiling from start to finish, great book with references to a bigone era in
Nottingham with some great references to the old football pubs which are sadly
no more. Great football related references as well, not on a scale to compete
with the usual football books from down south, but believable and strangely
funny in parts. Great read!!

dont judge a book by its cover !! as in this case is true as the cover is rubbish.. BUT this book is superb, not read all of it but this guy deserves this to sell well, if your in your 40s and the way things were when football was life its self before it was taken away from the real lads then this is for you, you will relate to every page, loved it !! well done mr. barry top fella, spot on book

44 Saint James, the brother of John and the son of
Zebedee, and one of the 12 apostles, became the first of the apostles to be
martyred when he was killed on orders of Herod Agrippa I. 285 Diocletian
appointed Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler. 306 Constantine I was proclaimed Roman
emperor by his troops. 326 Emperor Constantine refused to carry out traditional
pagan sacrifices.

864 The Edict of
Pistres of Charles the Bald ordered defensive measures against the Vikings.
1215 Frederick II, called Stupor Munci (The Amazement of the World), was
crowned Holy Roman Emperor at Aix-la-Chapelle. 1261 The city of Constantinople
was recaptured by Nicaean forces under the command of Alexios Strategopoulos,
re-establishing the Byzantine Empire.1394:
King James I of Scotland was born. He became heir to the throne upon the
murder of his brother Robert. He himself would be assassinated in 1437.

1603
James VI of Scotland was crowned as king of England (James I of England),
uniting the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland into personal union.
Political union would occur in 1707.

However, news of the booking was overshadowed after leading fancy St Nicholas Abbey sustained a career-ending injury.
Boomakers - a number of whom have refunded ante-post bets on the six-times Group One winner, including Sky Bet - now have Novellist as their second favourite behind Cirrus Des Aigles and trainer Andreas Wohler has moved to snap up Murtagh who is riding at the top of his game.

Ryan Moore partnered the four-year-old to win the Grand Prix de Saint Cloud last time out, when Cirrus Des Aigles could finish only fifth on his first run of the year.
However, Moore will be required to ride Sir Michael Stoute's Hillstar, who was supplemented on Monday at a cost of £75,000.
William Buick is another who has ridden Novellist before but his boss, John Gosden, is likely to have runners at York on the same afternoon.
That meant Wohler turned his attentions to Murtagh who, despite starting a training career this summer, remains at the peak of his powers in the saddle, as he showed when winning the Irish Oaks aboard the wayward Chiquita last weekend.
"We've booked Johnny Murtagh as there were question marks over the other jockeys we've used before," said Wohler.
"The owner (Dr Christophe Berglar) didn't want to be hanging around until the last minute, which is understandable, so we've booked Johnny. Now we have certainty and Johnny is obviously in really good form."
Dane O'Neill has spoken of his delight at coming in for the ride on Roger Varian's Ektihaam, who slipped up on the bend in a dramatic Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.
O'Neill is second jockey to owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum behind Paul Hanagan, but the latter has chosen to go to York to ride the William Haggas-trained Mukhadram instead.
"He's a solid horse and rides in these races aren't easy to come by," O'Neill told At The Races.
"I can see where Paul is coming from, but it must have been a difficult decision for him. He must have been cursing when he realised the two horses were going to clash on the same day - luckily for me it is when doing a job like this works out very well.
"He did a light piece of work this morning, it was basically a leg stretch, and Roger was very happy with him. Since his mishap the last day, he's been fine at home."

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The Hartlepool Monkey, Who hung the monkey?

The Monkey Hanging Story

The monkey-hanging legend is the most famous story connected with Hartlepool. During the Napoleonic Wars a French ship was wrecked off the Hartlepool coast.
During the Napoleonic Wars there was a fear of a French invasion of Britain and much public concern about the possibility of French infiltrators and spies.
The fishermen of Hartlepool fearing an invasion kept a close watch on the French vessel as it struggled against the storm but when the vessel was severely battered and sunk they turned their attention to the wreckage washed ashore. Among the wreckage lay one wet and sorrowful looking survivor, the ship’s pet monkey dressed to amuse in a military style uniform.
The fishermen apparently questioned the monkey and held a beach-based trial. Unfamiliar with what a Frenchman looked like they came to the conclusion that this monkey was a French spy and should be sentenced to death. The unfortunate creature was to die by hanging, with the mast of a fishing boat (a coble) providing a convenient gallows.

The Monkey Song

In former times, when war and strife The French invasion threaten’d lifeAn’ all was armed to the knifeThe Fisherman hung the monkey O !The Fishermen with courage high,Siezed on the monkey for a French spy;“Hang him !” says one; “he’s to die”They did and they hung the monkey Oh!They tried every means to make him speakAnd tortured the monkey till loud he did speak;
Says yen “thats french” says another “its Greek”For the fishermen had got druncky oh!

Hammer his ribs, the thunnerin thiefPummel his pyet wi yor neef!He’s landed here for nobbut griefHe’s aud Napoleon’s uncky O!Thus to the Monkey all hands behaved“Cut off his whiskers!” yen chap ravedAnother bawled out “He’s never been shaved”,So commenced to scrape the Monkey, O!They put him on a gridiron hot,The Monkey then quite lively got,
He rowl’d his eyes tiv a’ the lot,
For the Monkey agyen turned funky O!.
Then a Fisherman up te Monkey goes,
Saying “Hang him at yence, an’ end his woes,”
But the Monkey flew at him and bit off his nose,
An’ that raised the poor man’s Monkey O!
In former times, mid war an’ strife,The French invasion threatened life, An’ all was armed to the knife,The Fishermen hung the Monkey O!The Fishermen wi’ courage high,Seized on the Monkey for a spy,“Hang him” says yen, says another,”He’ll die!”They did, and they hung the Monkey O!. They tortor’d the Monkey till loud he did squeakSays yen, “That’s French,” says another “it’s Greek”For the Fishermen had got drunky, O!“He’s all ower hair!” sum chap did cry,E’en up te summic cute an’ sly
Wiv a cod’s head then they closed an eye,Afore they hung the Monkey O!.

Did it really happen?

So is it true? Did it really happen like that? You won’t find many people in Hartlepool who say it didn’t. They love the story.

The term was originally derogatory and for a long, long time after the event, people from neighbouring towns used the tale to mock Hartlepool and its inhabitants, and Hartlepudlians were often on the receiving end of the jibe: “Who hung the monkey?” , and is often applied to supporters of Hartlepool United Football Club by supporters of their arch rivals Darlington. However it has been embraced by many Hartlepudlians, and only a small minority still consider the term offensive.

Then there are some who point to a much darker interpretation of the yarn. They say that the creature that was hanged might not have been a monkey at all; it could have been a young boy. After all, the term powder-monkey was commonly used in those times for the children employed on warships to prime the cannon with gunpowder.

Whatever the truth the story of the Hartlepool monkey is a legend which has endured over two centuries and now enters its third as strong as ever.

Monkey usage in Hartlepool today

The local Rugby Union team Hartlepool Rovers are known as the Monkeyhangers, Hartlepool United F.C.’s mascot is a monkey called H’Angus the Monkey. A visit to Hartlepool Maria will spring up the odd Monkey – a lifeboat donation Monkey exists close to the harbour entrance of Hartlepool Marina.

The Monkey Mayor

In 2002, Stuart Drummond campaigned for the office of Mayor of Hartlepool in the costume of H’Angus the Monkey and narrowly won; he used the election slogan “free bananas for schoolchildren”, a promise he was unable to keep. He has since been re-elected twice.

Monkey Bone Found

In June 2005 a large bone was found washed ashore on Hartlepool beach by a local resident, which initially was taken as giving credence to the monkey legend. Analysis revealed the bone to be that of a red deer which had died 6,000 years ago. The bone is now in the collections of Hartlepool Museum Service.

Violent Disorder Launch

VIOLENT
DISORDER, my first solo book for a year, and the sequel to Ultra Violence, is
out on August 1st for e-book buyers and three weeks later for paperback
customers.Have a
look at Dark Dawn Creation's Cover.

You
don’t know whether to wear a parka to go shopping or slap on sun block.

The
writer takes their confession but stays at arm’s length. Old football war
stories - myths and fables from the terraces of Meadow Lane. Sins of Ultra
Violence two decades old carried out in service stations, back alleys and the
high streets of dead towns like Hounslow, Rotherham, Swindon and Peterborough.

Will
they succeed in going straight? Can they resist the carnage planned for the
last match of the season against Coventry’s top boys?

Or
will they fail, dragging the writer into the bloody battle with
them…

Violent
Disorder is the much anticipated sequel to Green Wizard’s best-selling Ultra
Violence.

______________________________________________________________

There
will be an extract next week, and the following week, at least four interviews
with me on various blogs, where I discuss the writing of the
book.